Precollege and College Preparation for Becoming a Scientist

Abstract

Preparing for a career in science has to begin at a very early age, especially for the disadvantaged, in order for the individual to be competitive. In fact, for those interested in science careers, decisions are often made as early as the fourth grade, resulting in a significant loss of numbers of students, particularly ethnic minorities, for future science careers at a very early age. As such, it is critical to not only expose young people very early to positive influences of science but also to engage them in a way that will help them to continue to stay on track and actually build up their experiences so as to make them most competitive in the field. Although the “things” that they need to do are easily identifiable, the key component is having mentors there to assist them, advise them and generally help to guide them in taking full advantage of the opportunities, and in doing so, strengthening their credentials so that they will be successful. Interestingly, many of the things that students need to do in K-12 are similar to those that they need to do as a college student, obviously just at a different level, which is why the earlier they start, the better prepared and more competitive they will be.